10 Bizarre Ways Runners Treated Their Injuries

Did they even consider throwing a bag of ice on it for a few minutes?
Runners will go to any length to heal an injury. The faster it’s fixed, the sooner they can return to the roads, right?

Aside from the normal methods used to mend an injury, we asked our Facebook fans what is the strangest thing they’ve ever done to treat their aches and pains. We got some…umm…peculiar responses, the majority of which we can’t fully endorse (even if they are interesting). Here’s what they said.

1. “I had a knee injury that hurt for eight months. I took a spill on some black ice—didn’t feel even a little knee pain afterward. Weird.”—Pamela Howe
2. “A rolling pin to roll out tight calf muscles. It worked, oddly enough.”—Megan Foster

3. “Denial.”—Robert Nourse

4. “A Russian doctor recommended hot urine for a badly sprained ankle. He said to boil my own and apply on the ankle. I did it just once. Never again.”—Antonio Razo

5. “Rubbing holy water on the injured area.”—Jessica Weithofer

6. “Sleeping in cling wrap to get rid of shin splints.”—David Marley

7. “Makeup wedges in my shoe to absorb some of the impact.”—Joannett Johnson

8. “I had an Achilles injury that would not go away. My grandma gave me a jar of Icy Hot mixed with ground coffee and powdered marijuana. It worked. No Joke!”—Robyn Howell

9. “Pickle juice for muscle cramps. That stuff is voodoo! Now I carry a small vile of it with me on long runs.”—April Eaton

10. “Rest. It’s really weird.”—Jessica Greenwood

We appreciate the sarcasm for that last one, but yes, taking a few days off is one of the best ways to stop an impending injury before it gets worse. Go here for more real advice on how to prevent and treat injury.